To Photoshop Or Not To Photoshop?

A digital photo post-processed in Lightroom

One of the great things about digital photography is that you have control over the final product from beginning to end. In the film era, once you filled up the roll with your photos you physically brought it to be developed and were almost completely at the mercy of the film lab as to how the final images were going to look. Well, no more!

Digital cameras allow the photographer to take the photo and immediately see the result on the rear screen right away. You don't like what you see? No problem, just make some adjustments and take the shot again. As long as your subject allows you the time to do this, it's a great system.

However, digital photography also allows you further control over the finished image even after the shots are all taken and you are now in front of your computer. In fact, for many, this is where the fun really begins. Now, they can take all of those digital files and open them in image processing software that will allow the average photographer to make any number of adjustments to their images and turn out a finished product that rivals anything that only the pros turned out in the film era.

But do you really have to take this additional step? Can't you just get great shots straight out of the camera?

Well, it all depends on what kind of final image you want to produce. If you are a nature photographer and you want to turn out the highest quality images with the most detail possible, then yes, you need to take this extra step to get that kind of results. Digitally post-processed photos have that extra pop that simply makes them more visually appealing. But if you are happy with average looking photos in most cases, then just accept what your camera gives you.

It's always amazing to me how many people will spend a fortune on their camera and lenses to get the best equipment possible and then not put the time and effort into learning how to post-process their camera files to make their photos really shine. But if they would just put in a little investment in this area of the digital process, they would get far better results than the incremental difference that a better piece of equipment would bring.

But, isn't it expensive to get this kind of software? Not anymore! As of this writing, you can buy a monthly subscription to Photoshop and Lightroom, the most commonly used post-processing software combo in use today by far, for only $10/month. If you are a serious photo enthusiast, this is a pittance to pay each month for substantial control over the final appearance of your photos. In addition to the great price, you will automatically be upgraded to the latest version of each program for no extra cost. What's not to like?

So, if you want to substantially improve your photography, invest a little time to learn how to use one of the most important pieces of digital equipment available at a price that is nothing short of a bargain in my opinion.